Liquid flow control apparatus



y 1939- J. F. PUTNAM ET AL 7 LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS Filed April 6, 1938 f/drea 6 Eawaxds Joseph ff Pu/nam INVENTORS ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Walnut Creek,

aasisnors to Standard Oil Gomphny oi California, San Francisco, 0.111., a corporation Delaware Application April 6, 1938, Serial No. 200,396

'lOlalms.

This invention relates to fluid feeding devices, and particularly tonne which is adapted to utilize a very small variation in pressure differential and to amplify such variations to actuate a liquid flow control means;

In the natural gas industry the problem has arisen of introducing an odorant material, usually a volatile liquid, into the normally odorless gas so as to give the latter a distinct and easily recognizable odor to reveal the presence of leaks, accidentally extinguished burners and the like. The gas is usually confined in a pipe or conduit at a pressure which may range from substantially atmospheric to several hundred pounds per square inch. Rates 01' flow of the gas may be variable, ranging from practically no flow to a large maximum at times of peak demand. Heretoi'ore, apparatus for introducing odorant liquid into gas lines has required that an obstruction be placed in the line so as to produce a diilerentlal ranging up to 100 inches of water in order to control the odorant flow. It is often inconvenient to install an orifice of similar construction in the gas line to produce such a high differential pressure, and it sometimes happens that pressure conditions in the line will not admit of so high a pressure drop.

It is an object of this invention to provide a sensitive differential fluid pressure responsive device which is adapted to operate upon very small pressure differentials, which has a minimum of moving parts and which is also adapted to ampliiy variations in what pressure diilerentlal is used to actuate directly a positive liquid flow control means such as a valve, which in turn will control the liquid head above an orifice and thus regulate the rate of liquid flow therethrough.

Another object is to provide a device of this type which is entirely self-contained and which requires no outside power supply for its continued operation.

Another object is to provide a device of this type which will automatically stop the flow of liquid when the pressure dlfierent falls to zero.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the description which follows and from the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to an odorant feeding device for a natural gas line.

In the drawing. the figure is a vertical and part sectional view on the longitudinal axis of a liquid flow control device in place on a gas line.

Referring to the drawing, reference numeral It represents a gas main through which natural gas or another gas which is to be odorized is passing in the direction shown by the arrows. The odorizer itself comprises a housing ll enlarged at one side to form a diaphragm chamber l2 and provided with a depending float tube I! for a purpose which will be explained below.

A Pitot tube I4 is mounted in gas line IB and is adapted to be responsive to the velocity of the gas passing through the line. Under certain circumstances, this velocity may be so high that the normal compensation means in the odorizer body will not compensate for the dlllerential pressure which such velocities will produce. In such cases, Pitot tube i4 may be made rotatable as indicated. passing through a threaded bushing II and a stufling box It. and being connected to pipe ll by means of a union or similar means II. An indicator i9 is preferably secured to the Pitot tube to indicate the direction of its nozzle. By this arrangement, velocities which are too high for normal operation may be successfully used to control this device if the nozzle of Pitot tube I4 is directed at a slight angle to the longitudinal axis of the gas line ill.

The differential pressure produced by the velocity of the gas against Pitot tube I4 is transmitted into diaphragm chamber l2 through line H. Chamber i2 is provided with a flexible diaphragm 20 which may be secured by a flanged cover 2i. A low pressure connection 22 leads from a point above a diaphragm 20 into gas main Ill, and also serves as a conduit .ior the introduction of the odorant in a manner which will be described below.

Diaphragm 20 is pivotally connected at 23 to one end of a long lever 24 which is pivoted at 25 at a point intermediate the housing Ii. At the opposite end 26 of lever 24 is pivoted a downwardly depending metal rod or float 21, preferably of a light material such as aluminum. Intermediate pivot 25 and point 26 a link 28 is adapted to actuate a float valve 29, which valve controls the rate of flow of liquid odorant from an odorant supply tank 30. A suitable strainer Si in line 32 prevents foreign material from interfering with the operation of valve 29.

Counterweights 33 and 34 on lever 24 serve to adjust the relation between the differential pressure exerted upon diaphragm 20 due to the velocity of gas in line I0 and the buoyant eiTect of float 21. A plug 35 in housing ll permits access to weights 33 and 34.

When diaphragm 20 is deflected by the pressure diflerential existing between the upper and lower compartments of diaphragm chamber l2,

lever 24 will be moved to open valve 29 and permit odorant from tank 30 to flow into housing II and to accumulate in depending float tube or chamber l3. when the odorant is accumulated in vertical tube l3 until it has buoyed up rod 21, that rod will rise and cause valve 29 tostop further flow of odorant into the device. Because 01 the large area of diaphragm 20 and the relatively low buoyancy of rod 21, a considerable head of liquid )1 will accumulate in the lower end of float tube IS with a very small differential in pressure between opposite sides of the diaphragm. This will provide in eflect an amplifying means so that small changes in difl'erential pressure set up by the gas velocity against Pitot tube It will produce relatively large and proportional changes in the height h of the liquid head in float tube I3.

At a point near the lower end of float tube It, a side outlet connection It leads from the inside of float tube I3 to conduit 22. A pair oi flanges 31 in this connection provides a holding means for an orifice disc 38 through which odorant may flow from tube l2 into conduit 22 and thence into gas main it under the influence of head h, plus whatever small diflerential pressure is imposed upon the surface of the odorant by the Pitot tube I4. In order to equalize the pressure on the odorant in tank III, a pressure connection 39 leads from housing ll 01' the device into tank 30 at a point above the liquid level therein. 11' desired, a gage glass 40 will indicate the level-ot liquid in storage tank III. In order to facilitate adjustment of the apparatus, a gage glass 4| may be provided at the lower end of tube ii in order to indicate the level oi the odorant liquid therein. For the same purpose. shut-oi! valves 42 and 42 may be provided in lines I! and 22 respectively, and those lines may be connected by a by-pass 44 provided with a valve 45.

In operation and for the initial adjustment of the device, valves 42 and 43 are closed and valve 45 in by-pass 44 is opened, thus equalizing the pressure on both sides of diaphragm 20. Weights 33 and 34 are then adjusted until suflicient odorant has run into float tube II to lift float 21 and to stand at a point just below the level of connection 86 and orifice 38. Valve 45 is then closed and valves 42 and N are opened, thus placing the apparatus in position for operation. The velocity of gas against Pitot tube ll causes a higher pressure below diaphragm 20 than that which is above the diaphragm. This will urge diaphragm 2|] upwardly and float 21 downwardly, opening valve 28 and permitting odorant to flow into float tube l3, thus increasing the head It on odorant oriflce 38 and starting flow of odorant therethrough. The additional head of liquid caused by the pressure differential will be proportional to the square of the gas velocity in line Ill. The amount of liquid odorant passing through orifice 38 into the gas line III will be proportional to the square root of the height of liquid above the orifice, and therefore wil'. be directly proportional to the quantity of gas flow through the pipe line. By means of this diaphragm-float combination, the liquid head h will be greater than the velocity head set up in the pitot tube by the ratio of the diaphragm area to the float area. The total head on the orifice will be equal to the liquid head plus the small differential set up by the Pitot tube I.

When the gas flow in line I0 decreases, diaphragm 20 will be deflected downwardly, thus positively shutting off valve 29 and preventing further flow of odorant into float tube l3. 'i'hat odorant liquid that is already in tube l3 will pass through oriflce 28 until the buoyancy of float 21 has been decreased to a point where it will balonce the new pressure diiferential on diaphragm 20, after which valve 29 will be opened in the manner just mentioned to maintain that odorant height and odorant flow at the proper values. By making float 21 only slightly smaller in diameter than the inside oi tube l3, this added quantity of odorant will not seriously afiect the proportionlng of odorant to gas flow, and it will be found that this apparatus will give substantially proportional control of odorizing, within practical limits.

It will be appreciated that from the foregoing description one skilled in the art of hydraulics will be able to adapt this invention to any given set or conditions of gas flow, pressure and proportion of liquid flow rate to gas flow rate.

The essential features of this invention appear to reside in the provision of a liquid accumulating chamber, a restricted liquid outlet from the chamber, a displacement means in the chamber responsive to a pressure differential of relatively small magnitude as from a gas flow in a gas line acting upon a diaphragm, and means for admitting to the accumulating chamber a liquid, the level of said liquid being variable by the displacement means in the said chamber. In the case of an odorizer, the effective head of liquid above the restricted liquid outlet will be maintained proportional to a predetermined function of the diflerential pressure, normally the square of the gas velocity in the line. The amount of liquid odorant passing through the restricted liquid outlet into the gas line will be proportional to the square root of the height of liquid above that outlet, and therefore will be directly proportional to the quantity of gas flow through the pipe line.

Although a specific construction embodying this invention has been described and illustrated, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that specific device, and all such modiflcations and changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

We claim:

1. A liquid flow control apparatus of the type described, comprising a diaphragm, means for impressing a diflerential pressure on opposite sides of said diaphragm, a float chamber, a float in said chamber responsive to the position of said diaphragm, a liquid storage tank having an outlet, a valve in said outlet responsive to the position of said float to admit liquid into said chamber, and a restricted liquid outlet from said chamber, said float and diaphragm so constructed and arranged as to maintain a depth of liquid in said chamber proportional to a predetermined function of the diilerential pressure across said diaphragm.

2. A liquid flow control apparatus according to Claim 1 in which said means for impressing a differential pressure on opposite sides of said diaphragm comprises a Pitot tube disposed in a gas line and arranged to be responsive to the velocity of the -gas flowing therein.

3. A liquid flow control apparatus comprising a housing, a diaphragm in said housing, means for connecting a source of differential pressure to opposite sides of said diaphragm, a float chamber in said housing, a float in said chamber, a linkage connecting said diaphragm and said float, a liquid storage tank having an outlet, a va e in said outlet responsive to the position or said linkage to admit liquid into said chamber and a restricted liquid outlet from said chamber.

4. A liquid flow control apparatus comprising a float chamber, a float in said chamber, differential pressure responsive means for controlling the position of said float, a liquid storage tank having an outlet, a valve in said outlet responsive to the position of said float to admit liquid into said chamber, and a restricted liquid outlet from said chamber, said float adapted to actuate said valve to maintain a depth of liquid in said chamber above said outlet proportional to a predetermined function of the diiierential pressure impressed on said differential pressure responsive means.

5. A liquid flow control apparatus according to claim 4, with the addition 01' means for indicating the level of liquid in said float chamber.

6. A liquid flow control apparatus according to claim 4 in which said pressure responsive means comprises a diaphragm of larger effective area than that oi! said float.

'1. A liquid flow control apparatus comprising a liquid accumulating chamber, a restricted liquid outlet from said chamber, a displacement means in said chamber responsive to the level of liquid therein, a liquid storage tank having an outlet, flow restricting means in said liquid storage tank outlet responsive to the position of said displacement means to admit liquid into said chamber, and means responsive to a pressure diiierential for moving said displacement means to increase the liquid height in said chamber with an increase of diii'erential pressure.

JOSEPH F. PUTNAM. ELDRED E. EDWARDS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION- Patent No 2,166,370.

JOSEPH F. PUTHAH, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, first column, line 23, for the words "of similar construction" read or similar restriction; line 1 for "different" read differential; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of September, A. n. 19 9.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

- and a restricted liquid outlet from said chamber.

4. A liquid flow control apparatus comprising a float chamber, a float in said chamber, differential pressure responsive means for controlling the position of said float, a liquid storage tank having an outlet, a valve in said outlet responsive to the position of said float to admit liquid into said chamber, and a restricted liquid outlet from said chamber, said float adapted to actuate said valve to maintain a depth of liquid in said chamber above said outlet proportional to a predetermined function of the diiierential pressure impressed on said differential pressure responsive means.

5. A liquid flow control apparatus according to claim 4, with the addition 01' means for indicating the level of liquid in said float chamber.

6. A liquid flow control apparatus according to claim 4 in which said pressure responsive means comprises a diaphragm of larger effective area than that oi! said float.

'1. A liquid flow control apparatus comprising a liquid accumulating chamber, a restricted liquid outlet from said chamber, a displacement means in said chamber responsive to the level of liquid therein, a liquid storage tank having an outlet, flow restricting means in said liquid storage tank outlet responsive to the position of said displacement means to admit liquid into said chamber, and means responsive to a pressure diiierential for moving said displacement means to increase the liquid height in said chamber with an increase of diii'erential pressure.

JOSEPH F. PUTNAM. ELDRED E. EDWARDS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION- Patent No 2,166,370.

JOSEPH F. PUTHAH, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, first column, line 23, for the words "of similar construction" read or similar restriction; line 1 for "different" read differential; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of September, A. n. 19 9.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

